The San Francisco 49ers will play against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, with the winner of the game earning the NFC West title, along with the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Unfortunately, San Francisco is dealing with a string of injuries, and we now have confirmation of the statuses for George Kittle, Trent Williams, and Ricky Pearsall.
Reports indicate that Kittle (ankle) is active for the Week 18 matchup, while Williams (hamstring) and Pearsall (knee/ankle) are both ruled out, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The 49ers will at least have their star tight end on the field to help quarterback Brock Purdy.
“49ers TE George Kittle (ankle) is officially active for tonight's game against Seattle, while LT Trent Williams (hamstring) and WR Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle) are out.”
Having Kittle available is huge for San Francisco. The 32-year-old tight end should be one of the top pass options in this matchup. George Kittle has had his string of injury woes this season. But when healthy, he's proven to be one of the most efficient tight ends in the league. He enters Saturday's game with 52 receptions, 599 yards, and seven touchdowns.
The team, however, seemed to be prepared to be without Williams, as the 49ers elevated offensive lineman Brandon Parker from the practice squad on Saturday. Austen Pleasants is expected to start at left tackle for San Francisco.
As for Pearsall, this will be his eighth missed game of the season. The 25-year-old wideout has been dealing with knee and ankle injuries. San Francisco will likely rely on Jauan Jennings in the wide receiver room, with Demarcus Robinson, Kendrick Bourne, Skyy Moore, and Jordan Watkins all getting increased playing time as well.
